What are the key strategies used in dryland farming to overcome water scarcity and maximize agricultural productivity in arid and semi-arid regions? Also, discuss the need to promote dryland farming in India.

Dryland farming is practiced in regions including Rajasthan-Araveli with terraced farming in areas of low rainfall along leeward slope of Himalaya, Bundelkhand, Bihar and Marathi regions, and western ghats rain shadow regions. Dryland farming builds on maximising available resources over lack of adequate rainfall (less than 755 mm). The key objective is to overcome water scarcity and increase yields to sustain farmer income.

Key strategies in dryland farming include: crop selection of drought resistant varieties like Jowar in Rajasthan, water use efficiency through participatory irrigation management (exemplified by Marathwada community tank system and Ralegaon Siddhi in Anna Hazare village), mixed farming to maximize yields through cooperatives for dairy and poultry (AMUL example in Gujarat), alternative cropping patterns using agroforestry and rotation with pulses in Bundelkhand, soil-based agriculture like Piedmont zone cultivation for cashewnut, and utilizing machines for tilling and rainwater bands in Maharashtra. Based on these strategies, intensification of dryland farming is necessary due to: increasing population and food demand, climate change that has reduced monsoon by 67% in 50 years (AR6 report), rising variability and preparation issues with rains (heatwave, flash droughts), 86% of farmers being small and marginal with only 46% in irrigated areas, overexploited groundwater tables in several states, falling water availability with 80% lacking 1000 m³ water area (Falkenmark Index), and the need to sustain Indian agriculture and farmer income.

To promote dryland farming in India, initiatives include push for National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, ICAR's NICRA (National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture), and celebration of International Year of Millets. These measures must be intensified for sustaining yields and productivity to achieve food security as per SDG 1 and SDG 2.